A ball kid’s illness caused a delay during a match at the Australian Open. The game featured Greek player Stefano Tsitsipas against Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki in the tournament’s first round. Mochizuki initially won the opening set 6-4, but Tsitsipas quickly responded by taking the second set 6-3. However, as the third set began, a ball kid became sick near the court’s back, prompting a halt in play.
Medical staff attended to the affected ball kid while both players, Tsitsipas and Mochizuki, waited on their benches. This incident occurred shortly after another match involving Naomi Osaka was suspended at the Rod Laver Arena. TNT Sports commentators were initially puzzled by the interruption in the Tsitsipas-Mochizuki game.
After the vomit was cleaned up, the match resumed eight minutes later. Tsitsipas went on to win the next two sets 6-2, securing a victory and progressing to face Czechia’s Tomas Machac in the second round. Unfortunately, this was not the first instance of a ball kid falling ill during this year’s tournament.
In a separate incident earlier in the week, a ball kid fainted during a match between Zeynep Sonmez and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Sonmez rushed to assist the girl, helping her to a shaded area, and play resumed after a brief delay. Sonmez emphasized the importance of being a good human being over a good tennis player.
Commentators praised Sonmez for her quick and compassionate response to the ball kid’s distress, highlighting her attentiveness and care during the situation.